Sony Housecleaning Continues as Ad Exec Tommy Gargotta Steps Down

Tommy Gargotta is stepping aside as president of Sony Pictures Worldwide Creative Advertising — the latest in a long line of departures as studio toppers continue a major housecleaning.

An informed source told Variety that Gargotta may remain at Sony in some capacity.

The move comes a week after Jeff Blake, Sony’s popular worldwide marketing and distribution chief, agreed to leave.

Several division heads have been fired within the past year including worldwide marketing president Marc Weinstock; home entertainment chief David Bishop; senior VP of media relations Steve Elzer; and Chris Cookson, president of Sony Pictures Technologies. Also departing were Matt Brown, executive VP, worldwide commercial for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment; executive VP of global communications Ann Boyd; VP of global communications Jason Allen and home entertainment and acquisitions public relations head Fritz Friedman.

Sony Pictures Entertainment chief Michael Lynton and Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal have insisted that Blake left of his own accord. Recent Sony movies have not met expectations including “Sex Tape” and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2″ and the studio recently decided to delay “The Amazing Spider-Man 3″ two years until 2018 in order to release spinoff “Sinister Six” in 2016.